There's a reason to cheer loudly for Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman on Saturday, even if you're not a Seattle fan and part of 'The 12th Man' that will be trying to lift the home team past New Orleans in the NFL divisional playoffs.

Coleman, 23, is the first legally deaf player to be part of an NFL offense. He has battled a hearing impairment since early childhood (age 3), but has overcome it and then some with the help of hearing aids and his ability to read lips. He has beaten more odds, making the Seahawks' roster as an undrafted second-year player. Coleman backs up starter Michael Robinson for the NFC's top seed and favorite to get to the Super Bowl.

Coleman's inspiring story is now being shared in a new commercial spot for Duracell as part of the battery company's #TrustYourPower campaign. While you can check that out below, Coleman also talked to Sporting News about how he also draws inspriation from the league's loudest crowd.

SN: How did this opportunity come about?

Coleman: They came to me, and said they liked my story, and I said 'OK', I want to join up. I just hope to inspire people, especially children, to trust the power within and achieve their dreams.

SN: What are some of the challenges you've had and how were you able to overcome them?

Coleman: Every challenge I had, overcoming, it didn't come quick. The biggest thing is just how persistent my mom and family were in not making me using my hearing aids as an excuse, telling me to work extra hard at everything I do as a person, no matter if needed the hearing aids or not. Every kid faces some challenge growing up. I just had to prove to other people I was just like them, but I knew that right from the start, I was just as good as everybody else.

SN: How different is your experience with the crowd noise in Seattle?

Coleman: I definitely feel it. Everybody in the stadium feels it, everyone on the street outside feels it. My hearing aids are like an amplifier or microphone, so I just don't really get to hear all the sound like you would.

SN: Does your ability to read lips give you any advantage on the field?

Coleman: My lip-reading ability helps me in every aspect of my life. That carries over to football, in the loudest of places. Everyone knows they should look at me when they talk, and we shouldn't have any problems.

Coleman: It was really exciting. I had scored a lot of touchdowns in whole my career in football, but to score that one, even though it was a freak touchdown, the look that I got from my team, and the fans, it was definitely a really good feeling to have.

SN: Did you ever hear from the other Derrick Coleman, the former Syracuse and NBA star, about your TD?

Coleman: I never heard from him, but I heard from people and my girlfriend told me about Twitter, and how the other Derrick Coleman was there claiming my touchdown. I was like, 'what?' If I score again, he better be sure not to do it again (laughs).

SN: How strong is the support of your teammates, knowing what you've overcome to get here?

Coleman: When you come to a band of brothers locker room like this, you have to prove yourself. Me going out there and giving everything I have when I can and showing confidence, that just made the bond stronger and stronger.

SN: What's the one piece of advice you would give young people battling similar challenges?

Coleman: The biggest thing is, have no excuses in anything you do, and I'm not talking about just the hearing impaired, but everybody. If there's something you truly want to do, you'll find a way to do it. And it's not going to be easy; it's going to take a long time, and it's going to be hard. Believe in your dream, and if you don't get to your dream, make sure you've done everything you can to get there. Nobody's perfect, everybody has something to overcome and everybody still has the opportunity to do what they want to do.

SN: Can we expect another record for crowd noise in Seattle on Saturday?

Coleman: Oh yeah. Our fans want that, and it's just extra motivation for them to go crazy. I definitely think they're going to break that record, and we're going to do something to help them do it, too.